IMan: Forbidden Competition
by kittykatsy2001
Summary: Rate M, just in case, probably T. Based on the tv show, Forbidden Competition introduces a new original character solely owned by me. Will Darien learn to behave himsel... or will he default ot old ways to impress his competitor?
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Everything was going according to the plan. They had by-passed the front door security system and entered the lobby without tripping a single sensor. Coming up to the vault room, a spray was released, revealing several red beams of light, sensors. About two feet through them, was a push button code box on the wall. Maneuvering an arm through, not triggering a solitary beam, the mechanism was reached. Select numbers were punched in; within seconds the beams were deactivated. There was a small sigh of relief from all. They proceed to the actual door of the vault; it is searched up, down, and checked quite thoroughly. The end of a stethoscope was now pressed next to the safe's dial; slowly the dial turns from left to right, at each turn certain clicks are listened for. The dial stops, and the stethoscope is put away in a black case. A hand grips the lever and pushes down while pulling out, hard. The vault opens while creaking. They all rush inside with their cheap black leather bags, filling them with stacks of large bills and gold bars. Leaving next to nothing, the greedy guilty persons go for their get-a-way. What they hadn't expected was being set up, as they closed in, to the front door, a swat team barges in. right away half of the criminalized thieves were caught and under control. Three more were playing difficult, with assault rifles in their hands and firing, the swat team could not press on for a full capture. Two officers were hit and down. Swat shields were raised in attempt to at least stand their ground, a decision was made to send in their secret weapon. On the other side of the lobby the assault continued while an unseen fourth person was sent to scout for a second escape route. All of a sudden the three wanna-be assailants were soon thrown into chaos. Somehow a minority of their extra ammo went off in one of the cases. The man holding the ammo case was hurt severely; the other two looked over to him, then, for some reason, buttheads with one another and pass out. The swat team uses this to their advantage. Once the fourth man, the scout returns in time to witness the last bit of the scene from behind a corner. Just then, the swat team took over and out of no where, silver flakes about six feet in the air, fall to the ground to disappear. To the remaining felon's surprise, a man had appeared in place of the flakes. In the felon's surprise, a breath of shock was let out, giving away their held position, though only to the materialized man's notice. Quickly, yet again, the assailant fled but with the man on their trail; being chased through hallways and other rooms the chase ends at the second exit, quickly though it they run out onto the roof-top of the building. Now the two were face to face.

"Whoa... whoa... Just, calm down now." The man about six-foot two, tries to cautiously calm the other.

Looking around frantically, the assailant gets the bearings they need and walks to the edge of the roof, judging the distance and prepares themselves. "If I wasn't calm, would I be able to do this?" Backs up a bit, to give some running space.

"Don't play like a stupid chic-" He stops mid-sentence as the, five-foot four blonde makes her jump. Right before the woman landed and was able to turn around; he cricks his neck and physically disappears. "I like a chic that plays hard to get."

Once she'd landed on the next roof top, the woman quickly pivots herself to look back where she'd come from. The guy was nowhere to be seen. She looks around her space as though paranoid, then came the tap on her right shoulder. Rather than turning to see who it was, she drops, sweeping her foot down low. There's an audible 'thud' followed by a moan. Looking where the noise came, she still saw nothing. After a few short moments later the flakes she saw earlier appear just to fade away again, rematerializing the man on the cemented roof top, laying down holding his head. "I'm no ordinary 'chic.'"

"Yeah..." Pauses to look at her. "I see that. For one, you're not only crazy... but have good aim for what you don't see."

"It's a talent." Brags. "What can I say?"

"You can say that you'll turn yourself in." He holds out his hand as though asking for help up.

Rolling her eyes, she starts walking off to a drain pipe to climb down, but stops. "For someone who's awfully mouthy, you don't seem to have anything intelligent to say." Retorts with a cocky grin.

"You know... I used to be just like you." He attempts a different tactic.

"Oh? So you used to be a woman?" asks with an inquisitive look upon her face.

Facial expression now showing his annoyance, as he gets back up to his feet again, slowly. "Funny. Real funny... no!"

"By all means, enlighten me then." Now takes a seat on the ledge, it's far enough that if he tries anything she'd have enough opportunity to still get away.

"I meant that I used to be a thief, like you. I would do the whole thing. Break in, steal money and leave, of course I never used any heavy weaponry unlike you and your friends back there. But yah, same theme, thought I was slick and would never get caught. That's where I was wrong. Instead... I was busted and framed fir a murder I never committed, and had to do time." Through out the speech he took one gradual step forward at a time.

With sarcasm she wipes a non-existent tear from one of her long lashed eyes. "That- that was touching. Really it was." Looks to her wrist, "However, I'm falling behind schedule. You see, I was supposed to be out of, at least, city limits half an hour ago. Don't get me wrong, I loved our sappy little chat. But, now I must go."

"What makes you think I won't follow you?"

"Oh that. Yes, you would think that would be a problem for me. Wouldn't you?"

The spiky blond haired guy shrugs with a nod of victory. "Isn't it?"

Bringing her hand out from behind her back, as it'd looked like she'd been leaning, pulls out a beauty of a gun with a nifty little silencer attached. "Because of this. You see..." She stands up walking towards him with the weapon trained on his head. "I don't care for the heavy stuff either; I prefer the light weight and quiet artillery. Oh and I suggest you stay right where you are, and visible. Get down on the ground again and turn over on that beer belly there with your hands on the back of your head, feet spread apart."

"Beer belly?" He was quite offended now. He may enjoy drinking, but he did work out... occasionally.

"Shut up, you heard me." As the guy does as told, the girl stops at his side, bends down, and frisks him.

"Hey watch it. You mind taking it a little easier? I'd like to enjoy this." He cracks.

"I'm sure you would." Now, reaches into one of this guy's back pockets.

"You must really like me; you haven't shot my head of yet. You know if yah let me up-" Gets cut off again.

"Not on your life buddy!" Pulling out his wallet, she skims through it, there's about sixty dollars in cash and a couple different I.D. cards with the same picture and name printed on all of them. "Well, thanks for the lunch money- uh..." Looks again at an I.D. "Agent Darien Pox. I'll just hold onto this," Flashes the wallet, "for yah. Wouldn't want you to lose it." Hearing voices come their direction, pauses. She now turns to head back to the drain pipe once more. "Now, I'm leaving, so don't go trying any of your weird disappearing acts on me. Cuz' if you were impressed by my leg sweep so much, wait till you see the aim the bullet in this gun has right at your head."

"Yah I know the drill..." Darien, thinking he'd be clever, attempts to get the chic to screw up and give him her name. To his satisfaction, it works. But not exactly the way 'he' thinks. "Well, you already know my name. How about telling me yours so we can set up a proper date the next time we meet?"

Halfway on the pipe, with a snicker "Yah alright. Csiejae. My name's Csiejae." She knew that with as dumb as this guy looked, he'd think her name was a set of initials. Quickly she then shimmies her way down the drain pipe, and leapt to the ground while still eight feet in the air. Casually she blends her way into a nearing crowd and makes her own vanishing act.

"Fox! FOX! Fox where the hell are yah?" Came a familiar voice, for Darien, on top of the original towering structure.

Slowly he climbs back to his feet, arms still raised above his head. "Hobbes!" yells back as his comrade spots him. "There wouldn't happen to be anything still gunned for my head is there?" asks a bit nervously.

"No." Hobbs shakes his head from side to side with a confused look upon his face. "But you don't look so well my friend... how and... why, are you over there? Holsters his own gun now.

Arms falling back to his sides and letting out a heavy sigh of relief, glances behind himself, then back to Hobbes, "Long story man. Tell me how to get down first."

Back at the Agency, Fox and Hobbes were talking over the previous hold up at the National Union Bank.

"Tell me, my friend... when she was uh... friskin' yah, was she... you know... was she 'frisking'..."

"Bobby? No. NO!" Fox shakes his head in disgust, but his hormones were telling him to spice up the story for his friend's sake and his own ego too. "Oh, but I will tell yah it was enough to make even you uncomfortable. I think she enjoyed, yah know, pat 'n' me down!" A giddy smile over comes him.

"Yah! I'm telling' yah my friend, you and I, you... and I, my friend. We have the looks and ora's of the gods!" Boasts Robert Hobbes, whose ego exceeds his brain cells.

"Uh... Yeah." Darien had to stifle a laugh back at the thought of some chic applying the words: Good looks, ora, and Bobby Hobbes in the same sentence. But then he applied them to himself, "Yeah... yeah!" Confidence rings in his voice. "My friend you are 'so' right."

"Eh heh, yah see my friend!" Hobbes leaves a rhetorical question out there.


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2**

Truth be told Bobby Hobbes isn't exactly the perfect _Chip 'n' Dales_ specimen. He's more of balding, late thirties, early forties, rugged play boy hidden under the bed obsessed, and self-conscious guy. Don't get me wrong… he can get real deep when a life or death situation comes along. But, that's awfully rare even then. He has, some... good qualities. He's caring, just shows it in his own odd way. Has a sense of humor. Not a good one... or bad per say, he just has one. Most importantly he's dedicated to his job and great at it. But if he strays he's always got a friend to back him up.

The giddy boys broaden their conversation to 'what features women first look at when they see an attractive stud like 'themselves.'

"Fox, its muscularity, my friend."

"Oh-ho you mean like you?" tries to rile Hobbes up.

"Of course! Here... feel this." Bobby rolls up his sleeve and stretches out an arm to flex for Fox to touch. "Go on. Feel it." Surprisingly it 'is' impressive. Fox though just nods in acknowledgement and passes on the squeeze test. "Intimidating for yah, Fox? Don't worry, you cut down on the jelly doughnuts and Pizza, maybe workout once in a while, you might be able to get rid of that beer belly, my friend."

Again with the beer belly? What beer belly is there, huh? He wonders. "Ok. That wasn't funny when she said it, but when you put it like that... it's still not funny,"

They put up their fists for some friendly play sparing. "Besides, everyone knows, chics dig the hair."

"Ok, now 'that's' just low Fox. That was low."

Interrupting the boxing match, Ebert's puts his two cents in and tries to add a reprimand too. "The butt." Fox and Hobbes stop abruptly and stare at Eberts. "The butt is the most common attraction women have of men." He nods with a wide eyed paranoid look.

"And 'you' know this how?" Hobbs. Fox just stared with interest.

"It was in a survey from Teen Magazine I saw. –at the dentists' office, last week."

"Uh huh..." Hobbes mutters.

"I-It was," is Eberts best defense.

"Hold on a minute." Hobbes pulls fox aside for a moment and then returns again. "Twenty bucks that that aint it."

"W-w-well, I'm not accustomed to betting." Eberts stutters, "But-"

"Good it's a bet." Fox interjects, "Twenty from each to the one who's right."

"Darien... I only meant…"

"Oh come on where's your sense of excitement Eberts? Hey if it makes you feel better, we can ask the Keep." Fox and Hobbes pat each other on the back and start walking. Eberts just stands there. The two come back and each grab one of Eberts arms and walk off again down the hall. "Come on, Eberts."

"N-Now?" Shy Eberts questions, rather mortified.

"Don't worry, she won't bite."

"Much." Fox finishes. "I mean it aint like you have a crush on her or anything." He snaps with sarcasm.

Eberts turned three shades of red, in the face. But apparently Fox and Hobbes weren't paying attention to that. Moments later the three stooges arrive at the Keeper's office door. They can hear music blasting through the heavy duty metallic walls of her office. They enter through recognizing the music. Madonna's '_All For You_' (**Verse**: _The girls at the party, look at that body. Shakin' that thing like you never did see. Nice package alright, guess I'll have to buy it tonight._)

"Oh. Hello boys. "The Keeper replies with her accent, just realizing they were there. The song ends and the Keeper turns the boom-box off. "So what can I do for you?"

"Well, for one, I could use a dose." Darien rolls his right arm sleeve up, revealing a snake tattoo that was divided into sections. All but one was red.

"All right. Hop right on up here." She pats the medical seat, and then turns grabbing a syringe and what looks like a rather large insulin vial. She draws up the liquid and inserts the needle into Fox's arm. Almost immediately the red sections of the snake transform back to their original green color. "So what's number two, hmmm?"

"Number... two?" Hobbes' mind side tracked childishly for a bit.

"Yes, you see, Bobby... I mean, Darien and... Well they... we..." Eberts stutters again.

Truth be told, whether or not it was known to any or all, there were three people who 'really' liked and cared a lot about the Keeper. I think that in such instances, the male subconscious picks up things like this, and once taken care of, this knowledge just disappears until another such situation arises. If you've paid attention, you'll know what I mean.

"What Eberts is trying to spit out is that... we... us three... that is..." Hobbes was now getting a bit embarrassed too.

Now, why is it always left to the last person to speak, to say what's on everyone's mind? "We... wanted to know... that if there were a one question survey... for instance, 'On average, what is the most common trait a female being of... any species, first considers attractive of the opposite sex?..." Darien looks over to Hobbes with a boyish grin "I just said..." He and Hobbes exchange a few things only a male would understand.

Eberts, clearing his throat, grabs the other boys' attention back for the Keeper. "Yeah, that's what we meant." Both Hobbes and Eberts chime together, shyly.

"Well. I'm not exactly sure." Keeper contemplates with some serious thought. "Each species is relatively different. For instance, the lioness chooses her mate by his strength. The Female elf on the other hand chooses her life long mate by the different octaves the male is able to accomplish in higher pitches. With peacocks it's how bright and full their tail feathers are-"

"W-well... that's all we wanted to know." Eberts purposely cut her short. "Thank you for your time."

"You're very welcome, Eberts." Smiles sweetly, "I hope I was as informative as needed. Curiously though, just what was the reason behind the inquiry?"

"It has to do with Fox and I's case is all." And Hobbes makes the save.

"Well, alright then."

"Yeah, we'd better go now and finish the report. So, yeah, laters Keep!" Fox sends his salutations.

"Ok."

They, being: Eberts, Darien and Bobby, head for the door.

"I prefer the gludious-maximus, Butt." The keeper replies allowed, having meant the answer for her own ears.

Eberts smiles and opens his mouth to say something to the other two, "Shut up Eberts!" Came the response before anything could have been uttered, causing Eberts to clam up. This didn't stop him from stretching for his hand in expectation as he smiles victorious. Hobbes reluctantly hands over his share of the betting money, they then both look to Darien.

"Heh, I thought I mentioned that she stole my wallet too." Scratches the back of his neck, "Hobbes y'mind spotten me a..." Pats Hobbes on the shoulder, grateful and guiltily, as the man pays up for him.

"You owe me."

"I'll pay yah back when that chic gives my wallet back."

"Alri- Hey!" He caught the catch 22 that wouldn't work to his favor.  
It better be sooner than that, my friend." Raises a brow just for emphasis.

All three boys head to the office of 'The Big Man.' Bobby entering first as Fox and Eberts come in suit, still talking about what women prefer in a guy. It was more of a curiosity Darien got after realizing that while Eberts may not have a girlfriend... he did actually know about them, so was trying to compare notes and get pointers.

Soon enough the Keeper saunters in as well, Ms. Monroe was already in her seat before anyone of the group had shown up. Hobbes throws out a greeting to 'The Big Man.' "Hey, Chief."

Eberts stops speaking immediately, becoming reserved once more and realizing his status in this office.

"Hobbes." Came the, icy, formal greeting.

Few moments go by before, "Ah, hey Chief." Darien, realizing, with a smile, that he had kept babbling to Eberts even after they'd arrived in the room, despite the other man's silence.

The Chief gives Fox one of his grudging 'Humphs,' with the added disapproving glare. "I want to know what happened!" Demands abruptly. "This was supposed to be a simple assignment. You two were supposed to 'Pop in,' sabotage, the 'pop out' again."

"W-well ...we did just that." Hobbes' hand fidgets around in the air, then gives a 'pointing out' 'well this is what happened' gesture. "You see, we went and did the whole steak out with... with uh... the cops... of course they were all just stuffin' their mouths with jelly doughnuts. But Fox and I, we were ready for anything,' we were ready to jump at the sign of anything!'

Now why don't we pause a moment here, as Bobby Hobbes attempts to make things look a lot better than it really occurred? Because, let's face it. Neither, Darien or Hobbes, in the same space as each other can be that perfect and heroic, so straight by the book. So what we're going to do is give you a look at the real scene, just don't go telling the 'Big Man.'

Its pitch black outside the bank, and the criminals had just entered the building. Hobbes and Fox are seated in their van. Hobbes is behind the wheel chowing down on one of the jelly doughnuts. One of several boxes that had been passed among all the waiting cops. Hobbes holds out a box of them in front of Darien, with his other hand stuffing a full doughnut into his salivating mouth. A stream of jelly squirts out onto the balding mans cheek.

"Have some, my friend. Doughnuts are food for the brain. It sharpens it too." He states quite matter of factly.

"Well with as much of those that you've eaten, your mind must be as sharp as a stick." The comrade exaggerates.

"Sharper my friend, sharper." Once again offers a choice of doughnuts.

"I think your mind is sharp enough for the both of us." Declines.

Suddenly on the intercom they get a call for all to fall out.

"Here we go." Hobbes states as he shoves a powdered doughnut in his mouth to take along.

"It's about time!" Fox quicksilvers then opens up the side door and shuts it behind him. He moves around the van to Hobbes' side. Impatient, he opens bobby's door, grabs him, and quicksilvers the man too.

"Oh..." The pastry drops out of his mouth rematerializing as it splat on the ground.

"What?"

"Turnin' invisible is so sweet!" His voice was rather excited. Almost like giving a kid back in the 80's a brand new G.I. Joe doll.

"Oh yeah. It's about as sweet as that red jelly on the side of your face." Comments caustically, rather uninterested in the repetitive, worn out, comment his buddy says so very often, as it was.

"Wha-? Jelly, where?" Feels around his face as they 'fall-out.' He wipes the now unseen jelly off, only to splat on Darien's unseen shoe, briefly coming visible long enough to re-disappear and gain a grudging grunt from his pal.

Now as the swat team barges inside, this little flash back ends, as Hobbes raps up the finishing touches of his story re-make.

"...and then we, ah, went uninvisible and I guess fox here saw some chic run off and he went after her. And when we caught up to him he was on another roof, alone."

Darien whispers to Monroe, "Uninvisible? Is that even a word?"

The Chief, picking out what little of the facts he could tell were true out of Hobbes fabricated fairy tale, still had a 'not amused' look upon his already soured face.

"So, Fox, would you mind telling me how this 'chic,'" Emphasizes the 'chic'." "was allowed to get away?"

"Um, well..." Head tilts back and to the left a bit as his eyes look aside. "She used a leg sweep, knocking me to my ass... er, butt, sir." He actually gets up to imitate all this. "and then she whipped out a nice shiny silver silencer and held it to my head. Then! She went and... disappeared when Hobbes got there."

"That's it! You didn't attempt to apprehend the perp while invisible?"

"I- I did. But..." His voice trails off.

The Keeper had listened intently as she's heard Bobby's story, and then seen Darien's reenactment. It was hard for her to keep herself from laughing in amusement. Ms. Monroe on the other hand stared in anticipation, as she took in all the idiocy.

"She didn't see you go invisible either time did she?" The chief barks, anticipating a positive 'No sir.'

"No." Fox replies with a lie.

"Good! Then-"

Fox interrupts him, "But-"

"But, what?" Came the short, sharp, question.

"She didn't see me go invisible, but, she did see me rematerialize."

The Chief stares at fox.

"Both times" Darien finishes, "Oh and took my credentials."

The Chief remains eerily silent in contemplation, before recapping. "So, we have a dangerous, armed, criminal. With a list of violations a mile long. Who now knows this department's most secret weapon."

"If you don't mind, I prefer not to be classified as a 'weapon.' I mean, after all I am just the same as the rest of you." Darien came to his own defense.

"Yah, sure." The chief snorts in a 'yah, whatever you say' tone.

"So do we have anything on this 'chic'?" Hobbes cut into the tense ora of the room.

Eberts steps forward with a file with several copies of the same stapled information, passing them out to each individual in the office. "What you are about to see is information on our culprit-"

"Duh, and I thought it was toilet paper to wipe my-"

Monroe gave Hobbes the look of death.

Bobby coughs, "Nose. To uh, wipe my nose with. Yeah."

Monroe rolls her eyes.

"Go on Eberts." Encourages, Keeper.

Starting once again from the beginning. "What you are about to see is information on our culprit. Unfortunately we have been unable to obtain a positive photo I.D. However, I'm sure Darien can fill you in as to what she looks like. We also, do not have much to go on, because somehow, 'Tiger Eye' has always managed to pull her own disappearing acts before we could get close enough to find any regular routine or whereabouts of hers.

"Tiger Eye?" Baldy snuffs.

"Well, we also don't have her real name or any alias for her that she goes by, so we gave her one." He explains, into detail how the name 'tiger Eye' was selected for the villainous woman.

"Shut up Eberts." Chief says with a forming headache.

Fox waits a moment or two before giving his two cents. "C.J."

Chief, "What?"

Darien opens his mouth again, "C.J. It's got to be a set of initials, right?" Snickers, "I mean what parent would actually give their little girl a guy's name?"

Chief grumbles. "I would. In fact Csiejae also happens to be _**my**_ daughter's name."

"You have a daughter? You have a kid?" Both Hobbes and the Keep question with an astounded disbelief.

"He never told you?" Eberts asks innocently.

"Whoa. You told Eberts?" Monroe interjects. "No offense. But you didn't tell us!"

"None taken" Eberts smiles sweetly with an air of momentary importance.

"It's privileged information, Ms. Monroe. And I'd like to keep it that way." The Big man was serious.

"Of course," Hobbes, "After all, one word of you having a 'daughter,' people are liable to think yer soft." The chief shot him a look. "Which yer most certainly not by any means... sir."

"So you're married too? Well what does your little girl look like?" Keeper's curiosity was peeked.

"No, I'm not, not anymore. We split up when Csiejae was about eight teen. Here, I got a picture..." Reaches in the desk drawer and pulls out a tattered photo with one small end torn off. "I haven't seen her since that was taken though. She was so angry, that she disowned me as her father."

Monroe, the Keeper, and Hobbes are first in line, next to Eberts, to see it.

"Wow! She was hot! ...I mean," throat clears "very attractive for being eight teen, sir." Hobbes.

"She's beautiful sir." Keeper.

"Not bad." Monroe gives an indifferent comment.

Fox gets up, walking over to see the picture, with mild interest. After all how good could the _Chief's_ daughter look? He expects a girl the size of the Titanic. Twirling the picture about, to face him, "Ah crap. That's her!" Announces,  
Tha- That's C.J., Tiger Eye, whatever her name is. That's the chic that tried to kill me!"

"Really!" Was the collectives reply.

Hobbes looks to fox, then the picture again. "Man, you're lucky."

"Are you sure Darien?" The Keep asks in her accent.

"Yeah, that's definitely her," he points to the girl in the photo. "Definitely."

"Well, in that case... we'll put operation 'Winged Cats Scratch' into effect with one exception." Eberts pulls out more papers from a separate manila folder, passing them out.

"Yeah, what's that?" Monroe, very professional, inquiries.

Eberts turns to the Chief.

"I want her back alive. Don't care how you do it, as long as she's at least breathing."

"That's kinda harsh there Chief." Hobbes didn't understand why his boss seemed cold hearted even toward his own flesh and blood. But from the dangerously intense look shot at him, it wasn't something that would be explained either. "But, on the other hand, it's none of our business." Buries his face in the briefing papers and steps away from the desk.

With the briefing now over and everyone filing out the door, Darien Fox holds back, looking at the Chief who was staring intently at paper work and jotting down notes. Fox steps to one of the twin chairs in front of the desk and took a seat, only to be ignored. He starts drumming fingers on the front base of the chair. "So, uh... Chief?"

"Hm." Continues work.

"You said you haven't seen or heard from your daughter since she was eight teen?

With out even a glance up, "That's what I said."

"And she's how old now?"

The man looks up with a questioning die hard stare that took effort to pause his work.

Darien takes up the defensive again. "I aint tryin' anything!" His hands go in the air as a gesture of surrender. "I'm not trying anything. Serious."

Gazing at the picture on his desk, traces the edging before picking it up and slamming it in his top desk drawer. "Five years, to the day." He then went back to reviewing files and other assorted paper work.

Darien thought on this while he awaits more information from 'Big Man,' only to receive none. "That's a fairly long vacation from each other." Prods.

"Mhh."

"Chief?"

"What, Fox!"

Shrugging in a cool calm manner, "Hey, after five years, Big Man... I was just thinking that despite everyone's situations, you'd want to know how the chic, er, your daughter is."

Still working, eyes pinned down to the task before him, "Alright Fox. How is she?" Still no true sign of interest is revealed.

Fox leant back in his chair, tipping a bit, hands behind his head. "Hot." Darien, having gone into dream land mode, catches his mistake. "Ah- good and healthy... very healthy, and same humor as her old man." Finishes honestly.

Still none to interested, "Fox?" Looks up now, arms crossed, resting on the desk top.

"Sir?"

"Are you quite finished?" raises a quirked eyebrow.

Still sitting silent for an awkward moment, abruptly stands to his feet. "Yeah." Walking to the door, his employer's eyes fixated on him. He halts, pivots half a step and opens his mouth but shuts it once more and exits, making way to the snack lounge. Running a hand through his dirty-blonde hair, finds himself quite exhausted. "I'm going home and sleeping till four in the evening."

Keeper, "You should Darien." Acknowledging the guy, with a cup of coffee, in a toast. "You need your rest. Straining yourself so much lately isn't doing your body any good." She watches Fox open his locker to pull out a few things. "And, Darien? Don't worry too much about the Chief. He always acts difficult, you know that. But it doesn't mean he's completely heartless." Smiles.

Fox grunts, "Half the time I'm not so sure. But, somebody's going to need to look after the 'chic'... even if her 'pops' wont. That girl deserves her ass kicked, but the Chief is a hair shy of not caring if she's dead."

"And here I thought." Her rich accent filling the air "you were more worried about if she liked that rear end of yours, Darien. Instead... You're worried about someone else's welfare." Leans over to whisper near his ear. "Our Darien's growing up." Chuckles while sipping her coffee, also notes the forming denial on the attractive guy's face. For which the Keep could also tell Darien was contemplating going quicksilver. "Oh come now. I can put two and two together."

Laters, Keep." He couldn't stand the embarrassment, or the thought of if the Keep had put anything else together either.

Of course it probably didn't help the fact that, while neither he nor the Keep could remember, they'd both been informed of an incident where the two of them had been literal caught in the act! '_**The dirty deed**_.' Fox and the Keep both got quicksilver madness, went completely invisible, the woman was as if an animal in heat. Him... he was like the male beast having caught her scent. Both were found, invisible, buck naked going at it, as though rabid with lust. Fortunately, despite being out in the open, they were under some tarp... when Robert Hobbes found them and injected each with the counter serum. Darien had felt awkward since, some, but not too much so, with the Keep. Both had silently agreed not to bring it up again. Especially when Bobby had gotten moody for some ...reason, over the next few days after the incident. The whole point here being that due to this very situation, no one would dare pursue wanting to know what it was 'how much' the Keep knew about it all, or any similar matter that would dig this itchy matter up. If you'd like to know how I know this... ask me again later. You'll love the answers I give you then.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Roughly an hour's drive or more, the uninvisible 'invisible Man' pulls up to his rebuilt, from scratch, home. Needless to say, at one point it had literally been blown up. One of the small miracles is the agency actually put up a third of the money for a new one. Anyways, as we speak, Darien's at the entrance of his house. Walking inside, finds the place pitch black, as he left it. Chucking his jacket onto where his sofa was known to be. More than likely pre filled with a stack of car magazines, a left over week old pizza box and an empty beer bottle or two. After mindlessly groping in the dark, Fox lefts up the TV. remote, flipping through channels as he strips off his t-shirt, chucking it somewhere on the floor. A couple more channel flips and the television clicks off. Next he's off to the kitchen refrigerator. Snagging a bottle of beer, talently twists the lid off using only his arm. Catching the lid mere inches before it lands. He snaps it between his index, two middle fingers, and thumb. Bottle top flicks through the air and into a garbage can.

"Three points." With a swig of beer. A stomach scratch... looks down. "Beer belly... puh." He pats the infamous belly, and takes his drink to the bathroom to freshen up, turning only the bathroom light on. Scrubbing up, snatches his beer again taking a sip and the light goes out. Thankfully, with as tired as he was, his only bathroom connected directly to his bedroom as well. Fox slips his shoes and socks off. One last long guzzle of alcohol and off came the pants. With a yawning moan and adjustment of boxers, Darien slips in under the covers.

The second hand of the clock on his night stand ticks by. "Well, you'll just jump in bed with anyone, won't you?"

There was a loud painful thud, with an added curse, erupts from the floor.

Bedside lamp clicks on, illuminating an amusing scene. Darien Fox, nearly flat on his back while a gorgeous blonde with long wavy hair and full curves, ready to burst out of an oversized t-shirt, leant over the side of the bed to peer at him. "Hope you didn't hurt yourself there Tiger." Her dainty chin rest in the palm of a hand.

Rubbing his sore head, looks up to see the one woman he'd been ordered to find. Luck was apparently with him. But the matter was if it were 'good' or 'bad' luck. "Don't act like you care." Groans. "Mind explaining what or how even, that you got in here and are in 'my' bed!" He demanded an answer, but quickly grabs a pillow to cover himself with when he realized the 'look' the woman eyes him with. "Just get out of my bed Csiejae!"

A slow forming grin surfaces upon the lips of the thief, and she chucks the man's wallet at him, only to see Darien drop the pillow in the process of reclaiming his stolen property. "Chill out Agent Fox." Csiejae rolls from her current position, to stretch out on her back and look straight up into handsome eyes. "I just so happened to come across this lost item. And then being the upstanding civilian that I am... decided to bring it to you. In person."

"Yeah, and I'm Bugs Bunny." Thumbs through the object, seeing all was there but... "Where's the money?" He slaps the wallet onto the nightstand, hands on his hips.

"Money?" her voice was filled with mock innocence. "What money?"

"Chic, cut the crap. You're riding a fine line right now. I've been up since five this morning all so I could ruin your little party and then get ordered around to find you again." Suddenly wary, Darien looks the woman over, with no sudden movements.

"Oh 'that' money." Leisurely plays with her hair. "Well, I don't know. Perhaps whoever stole it used what they found for a much needed dinner. Or two. Or three." Smiles, licking her lips with just the tip of her tongue. "I bet they ordered T-bone steaks and wine." Realizing that she and the bed were being circled around, skeptically changes topic. "Alright, yah vulture, what's got yah vexed now?"

"Are those my underwear and t-shirt?"

Confused for but a couple moments, "Yeah, they're yours. I couldn't be expected to wear 'my' clothes in my host's bed tonight! After all who wants to wear work clothes with other people's blood on it, all day long? ...Why?"

The fact the woman didn't have 'her' clothes on, brought forth a few enticing ideas to mind, but on the other hand, Darien's momentary lapse also gave him opportunity to think about the downside to this as well. The main downfall being that the father of this attractive, well put together, young woman was the Big Man. The fact that he considers Darien a secret weapon, wouldn't save Darien from getting killed upon a whim. Clearing his throat as he simultaneously clears all thought of anything 'fun,' starts searching again. If the woman was wearing a shirt and boxers that belonged to 'him'... where could she hide something? "I'm looking for the gun."

Erupting into a fit of giggles, "My clothes may be in your washer, but I assure you that by no means am I stupid enough to let my only means of escape out of arms reach, let alone out in the open. I would think an 'ex-thief such as yourself would know about such a basic rule."

With a shrug, "You're a chic, how smart of a thief can you actually be? You came to the house of someone who was trying to take you in from the start."

"Has anyone told you that yah have a way with women?"

Resigning the search, turns his attention now fully upon his intruder. "Yah, Hobbes."

"Hobbes?"

"A friend of mine. Bald guy."

"Wouldn't know him, I don't go for anyone even with the slightest bit of a receding hair line. They usually aren't the type worth remembering."

"I guess I should consider that a compliment then. Seeing as you remembered me."

"Yes. You should." Csiejae plays with a lock of her own hair, only to be puzzled by her host's next words.

"Well, I'm not taking it as a compliment. Now, Csiejae, you'd better get something straight. Your father has me and everyone else looking for you. And, he's none too particular as to what condition you're taken back to him in, so long as you have some faint heartbeat."

As she quickly sat up, the girl swiftly moves her hand for the gun that now drops out from under the over sized t-shirt. "Like hell!" She argues back, only to realize her host had been faster than her. Darien had reached out grabbing her arm to haul her back, against him. Her backside snugly fit against his stomach. He'd also managed in the process to get her arm tucked neatly behind her back. The gun, now revealed, had been dropped on the center of the bed. "Ouch! You're hurting me."

Darien was exhausted, annoyed, and just plain tired. He didn't want to deal with this right now. So he quicksilvers. "Then stop squirming." His patience was starting to lack.

"Screw you, I didn't drop by for a visit just to get caught by one of father's flunkies and get dragged into his presence for a lecture."

"You'll get more than that if he finds you at all." His voice rang out in warning as he fumbles through the nightstands drawer.

Turning to look from one side to another, Csiejae couldn't figure out where he was, as she couldn't literally 'see' him. About to voice the obvious, stops as her wrists were suddenly being bound together with plastic ties. "Wha-?" Next thing she knew, she was being picked up, seemingly held by nothing at all. Afraid, she screams at the top of her lungs, "What the hell is going on! Darien!" Hearing first a groan, she ends up dropped onto the left side of the bed. Frantically wriggling her way, she scoots backwards for the gun. Yet again fate seemed to turn against her as the 45mm took to the air, and trains itself on her. Csiejae swallows hard.

"Damn it, stop screaming." He was breathing hard, from having to correct his error of letting her on the bed with the gun. The gun itself showed his labored breathing as it moved slightly up and down steadily. "You're going to-" He heard a car pull up in front of his house. "Crap."

Csiejae was going cross eyed watching the weapon before her. She bit her bottom lip as she dared asking. "What's wrong?"

Looking out the window sees Hobbes come up to the front door of the house. Relief washes over him. "Hobbes."

Pouting, "Great, company."

Becoming visible again he waves the gun at her to make emphasis on his next point. "Watch it. Behave yourself, and while you're at it, keep your mouth shut. I don't want him knowing that we're here." Darien starts grabbing a new set of clothes for himself. "Stay put." He goes into the hallway and starts by putting on his shirt, by the kitchen he got his boxers on; at the door he was dressed other than socks and shoes. Reaching the handle to make certain that it was locked before Bobby rang the door bell.

Never one for listening, Csiejae had stood up on the floor, hands still tied behind her back, and followed. Whispering, "Why are 'you' having us hide from your friend? Thought you said you were buds."

"Why do you think?" Darien waves at her to hush. "Fat man finds out you're here, especially in my clothes, and we'll both be dead. Best thing for you, is to disappear, and I've got to figure out how. Now shut up."

"Fox?" Bobby calls out from the other side of the door, thinking he'd heard something inside.

Csiejae sat herself on the floor and brought her knees to her chest. She rocks backwards once, twice, and her arms were now on the other side of her bottom.

Looking Between the peep hole and Csiejae "Stop that!" Orders back in a whisper.

Csiejae ignores him and then her feet were through too, so that her hands were at least in front of her more comfortably. She sticks her tongue out and blows a raspberry at him, earning a glare.

"Hey Fox open up! Keep said you were goin' home, man." He knocks this time.

'Sorry Hobbes. I don't want to get you involved just yet.' Darien thought.

Suddenly the dryer buzzer goes off. Csiejae frantically went to turn it off. She couldn't figure out what button to press, so she opens it up. Peeking around the corner she gestures that it's all good. Then looking at her clothes decides that this would be an opportune time to get away, while Darien was distracted. She could come back at a later time to play with him some more. Grabs her clothes, and heads for the kitchen to cut off her bonds.

Throwing up his hands in the air, "Fine..." turns about, to head back to the car only to realize two men had gotten out of their car across the street.

Noting that the man had finally given up, the home owner goes to check on his guest in the laundry room. He wasn't happy to see that she wasn't still there and began dashing around the house. He found her trying to climb out the back kitchen window. The girl's clothes had been thrown onto the yard ahead of her. Grabbing onto her legs, starts dragging the persistent woman back inside, it was more difficult than he'd figured.

"Let go yah perv! That's my leg." She kicks behind her, getting Darien in the stomach. She pushes herself further out the window, only to get caught about mid thigh again. "Ack!" Growls in frustration while doubling her efforts to get away.

"I'm trying to save your sorry butt you know!" He argues back. "Fat man's, er, your father's not overly happy with you. Just get back in here and I'll let you stay the night and discuss whether I take you in tomorrow myself, so it's less likely you're hurt, I'll even call him with conditions; or I'll help you get away."

"Hah! You don't know my father very well then." Her motions stop as she was startled by a loud noise that caused both her and the man behind her to freeze.

"Fox!" Hobbes voice bellows more clearly than it should of.

Darien heard multiple footsteps, he cursed. The front door had gotten broken in through. How did Bobby get back up? Did he come with them? No Darien knew better. "Shit... He knew you'd show up, Chief had me followed home." That explained everything. His followers had seen Darien go in on his own. But when Bobby had shown up and not gotten him to answer the door, the other two knew something had to be up because he'd not left the house. Quickly he shoves Csiejae the rest of the way out the window. By now the other men had to have their heat sensor glasses on, those had become mandatory, standard issue, whenever anyone was sent to watch him; too many prior incidences. Anyway, they knew he had company now. Darien would have to explain why he let the girl get away, again; and he wasn't ready to face up to that. Nor was he ready to let his new acquaintance get away. He was going to make sure she got what she deserved. But he didn't want her hurt to any extreme either. That left one thing: He dives out the window after her, falling unkemptly onto the yard. "Chic, start runnin'!" He barks at the girl with her armful of clothes, about to dash off as it was. When she started to head off, the guy snags her arm and shoves her into a different direction. "To the front, I've got an idea. You know how to hotwire a car?"

The woman scoffs, "Child's play." Taking the hint of what was expected of her. She didn't have to look back to know that Darien had disappeared. She didn't even care since it meant she'd have little resistance in getting away now.

The two men in goggles came quickly running out to the front of the house. One ended up getting a floating piece of door smacked against the back of his head, while the other one whirls around bringing his gun up to fire.

"Oh shit! Oh shit! Oh shit!" A mass of heat in different colors (if viewed through one of the heat sensors) exclaimed as he began running a zigzag pattern, dropping the hunk of wood, which exploded into splinters as a bullet hit.

Hobbes came out watching; he was rather confused but realizes somebody was in his car. "Hey!" He pulls out his gun and advances on the vehicle slowly. "Put your hands up behind your head and step out of the car, slowly."

Csiejae ignores the man shouting at her as she continued to hotwire the vehicle. She needed to get the damn thing started before baldy made it to the driver's side door.

Bobby calls over to the man shooting at Darien, "Hey, forget fox, target's over here!"

Grudgingly, the man eyeballs Darien's last location as he disappears from the heat sensor. This was one of the fellow agents who weren't particularly fond of Agent Fox. In fact, he'd been sent numerous times to clean up the man's mess, or to chase after him. As far as he was concerned Darien Fox was a liability. Unfortunately, Agent Hobbes was right, there was a more important suspect to be taking in, and she was about to get away. With a snort of disapproval he turns about and also trains his sights on the girl in the sedan. By now he'd taken of his goggles to better see the easier target.

Glancing up for a brief moment, the blonde bit her lip. This wasn't looking good. "Start damn it, start!" She fiddles with the wiring again to hear it briefly come to life only to die again. She hits the steering wheel out of frustration. Both men were now near the car circling from opposite sides of the car. "Please please please..." And it the monster revs. "Thank you!" With a smirk she puts it into first gear.

"I wouldn't do-" The man in the suit collapses mid sentence. His gun was caught in the air, turns, and fires at the second vehicle, one back and one front tire blow.

Hobbes looks from the gun to the car and back again. "Fox, what're you doing?"

"Trying not to get killed." Came the voice.

"Fox, put the gun down, and tell me what's going on, my friend. No chic's worth this. You know the orders."

Darien unloads the clip, it hits the ground, and then the gun, as he rematerializes, shaking it off.

Not one for trusting anyone of authority realizes that Darien and Baldy were near the back left door. She'd been startled at the two shots fired, praying it hadn't been at her. Realizing she was safe, and that her two would be captors didn't have any way of following her, she puts her foot down on the accelerator. The tires squeal and the car lurches forward, instantly picking up speed.

"Sorry Hobbes! No time to explain." He took after the car barely managing to get the rear door open. Basically dragged, as he held onto the door, Darien somehow manages to climb in the back seat.

Bobby's hands went to rest up on his head, frustrated "Damn it, fox." He turns around looking at the mess and now reviving agents with a flat car. "Fat man's going to have your head too now." He says as if Darien had still been there before holstering his gun. Bobby rubs his eyes before placing both hands on his waist. "Get up." He orders the other two, gesturing about. "Get this somewhat cleaned up. See if there's anything inside that'll tell us what the hell is going on." Opening his cell, he dials. A male voice answers the line. "Heh heh... Chief? Think you could send us another car and a tow truck?" He winced at the dead silence and heavy click followed by a dial tone. Bobby mutters under his breath "Thanks for nothing Fox."


End file.
